Half and Half
by Spikey Angel
Summary: Inuyasha and comapny travel around and learn of a half demon named Ashinito... She happens to be Inuyasha's cousin and the exact opposite of him...
1. Deadly Foe

Chapter 1:

Deadly Foe

It was a sunny day in the heavily forested area of Feudal Japan, or the Warring States Era. It was summer time, apparent through the abundance of full trees, rain, and the cloudless day, but it seemed to be a particularly hot day. Birds fluttered about, followed by Youkai Crows. A village ran smoothly, like any other typical day.

A girl with long, flowing, golden hair that touched her waist and a pale face with piercing, jade-green eyes walked among the villagers. Few noticed her pointy, black wolf-like ears. She was wearing a long flowing blue kimono with pink ribbon around the waist, end of the sleeves, the bottom of it, and the neckline. The sleeves were longer than her arms because her hands don't stick out of them, and her kimono covered her feet.

A simple farmer, he looked to be about fifty, walked up to her brandishing a rake at her. "Are ye youkai?" He asked. "Never have I seen the likes of ye before."

The girl didn't even look at him, only holding up an arm to him. "Poison claws." She said, coolly. A green light (much like Sesshoumaru's poisonous claws) came out of the sleeve and wafted towards the farmer. She then reached over to him and stabbed him with long claws. "And for your information, I am a hanyou." The other villagers saw the farmer fall and die, so they ran and grabbed their weapons of war.

"Send the women and children inside! A youkai is attacking!" One man yelled as all the other men run out and attack the girl, but she just glares at them and they all fell and died.

"Poison gas!" A bright green smoke files from her hands. Houses disintegrated, and people died as they breathed in the poisons. She then slashed at the villagers and covered the ground with the scarlet blood of humans. "Hm... These Slivers of the Shikon no Tama made my poisons deadlier. Hm... I only have six, but I sense more are nearby." She ran so fast that she disappeared into the forest.

While in the forest, she came across a clear-blue lake. Stopping, she leaned towards the water and stared at her reflection. She reaches down to the reflection and splashed the water, rippling her reflection and distorting the picture. "Filthy hanyou! Why'd mother have to love my weak human father?" The rippling water reminded her of when she was younger...

_Staring down into the water, I looked at my childish (like a four-year-old) face and tried to find out what was different about me from the other children. A villager, bearing a rusty katana, sneaks up behind me, but my keen wolf ears (much like Inuyasha's) could pick up any sound. She turned around and stared fearfully at the man. "Why do you walk amongst us and try to frighten our children? Go home to your youkai mother, Ashinito!"_

_My young scared eyes filled with tears and I ran into the forest until I reached a shabby hut. The curtain that was the entrance was patched, frayed, ripped, and torn from years of use and abuse. This was where my father, young village farmer, Akino; my mother, father's young, yet strange wife, Lito; and me, their only child, Ashinito, lived in harmony with the horrible villagers who tormented me constantly._

_That day, however, Father looked strange as he ate his lunch alone. He was surprised to see me so scared. "Ashinito, are ye okay?" _

"_I'm fine, father." I answered. I never thought that this would be the last time that I saw my father. "Is mother still cooking?"_

"_Aye, I believe so." Father said, sipping his stew._

_Though another curtain, Mother, a tall lanky beauty with green eyes and long black hair, was standing in front of the open flame stove cooking more clam stew. "Are ye hungry, Ashinito?"_

"_Not really. Mother, I want to ask you something."_

"_Go on."_

"_Why am I called a hanyou?"_

_Of all the things Mother must have been expecting, that wasn't it. She dropped the ladle into the stew and had to fish it out. "I shall explain it to ye later. Go to ye sleeping quarters. I shall be in later to tuck ye in."_

"_Yes, mother." I responded with a bow. "Good night."_

"_Good night to ye, as well." Mother responded with a small bow, as well. _

"_Good night, father." I said as I walked to another curtain. My sleeping quarters. I listened for my father to say good night back, but he remained silent. I laid on my back, covered myself with the blanket, and drifted into a peaceful sleep. _

_Later that night, I heard Father yelling at Mother, followed by stomping and the whooshing sound of the curtain. None of it made any sense to me, so I decided to check it out. Only my mother stood in front of the curtain. "Mother? Where did father go?" _

"_He left. He found out that I'm a youkai, Ashi, and ye are a hanyou. That is why ye are called hanyou. On the new moon, ye transform into a human, as do all hanyou." Mother said so quietly as if she was scared of something._

The water rippled, and she stood up from the water. Behind her, a villager with a spear, looking grim appeared. "You slaughtered my comrades! Akino would be disappointed of you." He said. "He was my father, too. I'm Misyo, Ashinito, and your younger brother."

"Oh, I see." Said Ashinito with a snicker. "Then that would make us siblings, correct." She approached Misyo, grinning a sickening grin. "Let me kiss my brother." She kissed him, but her lips glowed blue. Misyo fell and died. "Did I neglect to tell you that I can transfer poison through my lips, brother? I'm sorry. Oh, well." She strolled away, stopped at the forest, and jumped over the trees, flying higher and higher until she was out of sight.


	2. Inuyasha's Cousin

Chapter 2:

Inuyasha's Cousin

"I'm sensing an evil presence nearby. Inuyasha, can you smell anything unusual?" Miroku, the lecher Buddhist monk with the Air Rip in his right hand, said.

"I'm smelling wolf youkai, but it smells diluted." Inuyasha said, sniffing the air.

"What'd you mean 'diluted'?" Kagome asked.

"Hanyou." He answered.

Kagome stopped dead with surprise. "But wolf youkai eat humans, don't they? I mean, Kouga had to threaten them to protect me."

"It must be Ashinito." Myouga, the flea youkai, said as he appeared in Inuyasha's kimono collar. He bounced to Kagome's open hand and stood to the group. "Ashinito is a hanyou wolf, born to Kouga's younger sister, Lito, who fell in love with a simple farmer in a village by the mountains. She then bared him a daughter. Villagers, hanyou, and youkai tortured Ashinito, including the wolf youkai that her mother later married and moved into a den with, leaving her daughter behind."

"How could any mother leave a daughter behind for a husband?" Kagome asked.

Inuyasha cracked his knuckles like he did before a fight.

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked.

"Is something wrong?" Kagome finished. She slowly, nervously approached him.

"Nothing!" He said with anger in his eyes as he jumped up to a treetop. He did that usually when he thought about Kikyo. "Sango, Shippou and Kirara are back."

Sure enough, Sango and Shippou, riding on Kirara, flew over the treetops and landed in the clearing. "There's been a massacre. An entire village was annihilated."

"It looked like the wolves, again." Shippou stated.

"How could Kouga do such a thing after we helped him in his time of need?" Miroku asked.

"It wasn't Kouga." Inuyasha said. "Ashinito's scent is everywhere."

"If she's a hanyou, why would she slaughter her own kind?" Kagome asked.

"Ashinito's father left her and her mother after learning the truth about her." Myouga said. "It only fueled a hatred for humans. Because of her tortured childhood-."

"She hates humans, youkai, and even hanyou." Inuyasha finished for Myouga.

"She hates herself?" Kagome asked. "How could she hate her own self?" She thought to herself.

"She never really fit in with hanyou because she looks like the youkai form, but she hated the taste of human flesh that's why she didn't fit in with the youkai. Finally, she had youkai's blood, so humans didn't accept her." He looked down to Kagome. "You thought Jenegi had it bad, she got the raw end of the deal. They were horrible to her." Inuyasha shuddred.

"Do you know her, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked.

"She's my cousin." He said, bluntly. "Her father was my mother's older brother."

"It's been a long time, Cousin Inuyasha." A girl's voice said as she flew over the treetops, landing in the clearing near Miroku.

She was wearing a large blue and pink kimono that had bloodstains all over it. She had long, waist length, flowing golden that that swished in the slightest breeze. She casually walked over to the tree where Inuyasha was perched, exposed a hand with long, blood dripping claws, placed it against the trunk, and said, coolly, "Poison claws." The trunk melted and Inuyasha jumped off and fell into the pool of melted wood.

"Ashinito-sama!" Myouga cried as he hopped away from Kagome's hand and to a tree branch.

"Myouga-sama. I see you haven't changed in years." She said. "Still serving Nishi-sama?" She finished.

"He died years ago. Sesshoumaru is now The Great Youkai of the Western Lands. " Myouga said.

"Now you're serving Inuyasha, huh?" She smiled. "No surprise. Last I heard, Inuyasha was released by the reincarnated miko, Kikyo-sama. Inuyasha always fell for the weak humans."

"What'd you want this time, Ashi?" Inuyasha called as he climbed out of the liquid wood.

"Still calling me by my childish name, Inuyasha?" Ashinito said as she stared at him.

"What'd you want?" He repeated. "You wreak of human blood. Did you kill all thoes villagers?"

"They crossed me, Cousin." She snickered.

"Kagome! Does Ashinito have any slivers?"

"I see six. One on each hand, arm, and leg." Kagome repiled.

"Using Jewel Slivers now, Ashi?" Inuyasha said.

Kagome pulled out her bow and an arrow. She aimed at Ashinito and shot, but Ahsinito grabbed it and melted it. _She can melt my arrows? _Kagome thought.

Ashinito laughed. "You don't get it, do you?" She said. She ran around Inuyasha so fast that he smelt her scent everywhere. "I can now-." She said, disappearing. A fist came out of nowhere and hit Inuyasha directly in the nose, breaking it. "Run around you and you can't sense me!" She stopped and was right behind Kagome.

"No!" Inuyasha cried. "Don't hurt Kagome!"

"Why? I love to hurt humans." She placed one of her clawed hands around Kagome's neck. "Give me your Slivers of the Shikon no Tama, girl."

"No." Kagome choked out. "I'll never give them to you!"

"Fine!" Ashinito responded. "Have it your way, then." She dug her claws into Kagome's neck causing her to bleed and cry. "Poison claws!"

"KAGOME!"Inuyasha cried. "You'll pay! I'll kill you, you bitch!"

"Such strong language, Puppy." Ashinito mocked him.

Miroku held onto the prayer beads around the Air Rip. He motioned for Inuyasha to grab Kagome and let him suck in Ashinito.

"Don't be stupid! You can't use the Air Rip, so drop it!" Inuyasha barked to him. Sango moved towards her hiraikotsu, but Inuyasha yelled at her, too. "Forget it, Sango! I'll fight Ashi by myself!" _With the help of the Tetsusiaga, of course. _He added to himself.

"I don't want to fight you, Puppy, at least not now." Ashinito said.

"Wha-?" Sango, Shippou, and Miroku asked, in unison, surprise in their voices.

"With true love's kiss, the poisons erase." Ashinito recited. "You have until the next moonrise, or she will die. I'm guessing that must be you, Puppy. Right?"

"I'm not a Puppy, so stop calling me that!" Inuyasha barked.

"That's no fair! If you can call me Ashi, then I get to call you Puppy. I gave you that nickname years ago."

"I'm not a Puppy! Stop calling me that!"

"Then you can't call me Ashi!" She walked back over to Kagome, who has passed out in the grass. Picking Kagome up by her waist, she flung Kagome over her shoulder and turned back to Inuyasha. "You have until the next moonrise to find us. To slow you down, Poison Gas!" A ring of the poisons appeared around the group. "See you soon, Puppy!" She laughed as she jumped over the poison ring and into the setting sun.

"Bitch! Damn her!" Inuyasha screamed. He fell to his knees and couldn't keep the tears in. He cried, but tried to not let the others on. "Kagome, Ashi is going to pay for hurting you."

"Inuyasha?" Miroku asked. _Maybe he can't hear me. _He thought. "Inuyasha?" He tried again. Looking below Inuyasha, he saw the puddle of water that Inuyasha was creating. "Inuyasha? Are you crying?" He quickly changed he last statement. "I mean, coming?" He, Sango, and Shippou with Myouga on tail were sitting on Kirara's back. Mirkou held out a hand to Inuyasha, so he could climb onto Kirara, too. "Kirara can fly us over these poisons."

Sango and Shippou had never seen Inuyasha cry so much. "She'll be fine." Sango said.

"We'll get her before it's too late." Miroku added.

Inuyasha wiped his eyes on his kimono sleeve and grabbed Miroku's hand. He climbed on and they started to take off.

Sango sat near Kirara's head, Miroku was behind her, Shippou was behind him, Myouga fell asleep on his tail, and Inuyasha sat behind Shippou, looking behind them, and thinking about Kagome. _She put up with Kouga for a couple of days. She shot Naraku with the arrow; Kagome did a lot of things to help us. _

_Inuyasha DAYDREAM:_

_Kagome laid sleeping on a moldy, old cot with a ripped blanket covering her. He sat on the floor nearby and just stared at her. _

"_Guard Service." He said to himself. _

_She woke up and smiled at him. She threw her arms around his neck and kissed him. "Oh, Inuyasha, I love you so much." She said._

"_I love you, too, Kagome." He goes to kiss her again. In a flash, he stood in front of Kaede who was preparing a burial for Kagome. _

"_Ye were too late, Inuyasha." She said. "Another girl lost to ye hand, Inuyasha."_

"_But I didn't do it. I couldn't hurt Kagome." He cried._

_End Daydream._

"Stop balling, Inuyasha." Shippou said.

**Wam!**

Inuyasha hit him squarely on the head. "Shut up!" He barked.

"I guess he'll be okay if he's starting to hurt Shippou." Miroku said.

"You'll be next, Miroku if you don't watch it!" Inuyasha screeched.

"Like I said before, he'll be just fine." Miroku finished.


	3. The Trip

Chapter 3:

The Trip

In the same shabby hut that Ashinito lived with her parents, she entered, still carrying Kagome over her shoulder. "Gee, I hope a human can survive until the next moonrise after being poisoned." She carried her into the sleeping quarters and set her down on the floor. She covered her with a blanket and looked down into her face. "I can see what Inuyasha sees in you now. You look a lot like Kikyo-sama." She turned and left the quarters.

She walked into the once nice looking kitchen, but now it was melted wood, ashes and blood splatter. "I've killed many for coming in here, collecting a total of six Slivers. With the three I'm going to steal from her, then I'll have nine. A nice odd number."

Meanwhile, Kirara was struggling to find Ashinito's scent. She was shifting nervously. She had two humans, a youkai child, a flea youkai, and a hanyou riding on her back. Too much weight for one youkai to carry.

"Uh, Sango." Miroku started. "Maybe I should get my friend Hachi. Kirara doesn't seem to be able to support all of us."

"No," Sango said, surely. "Inuyasha and Shippou can take to the ground." She patted Kirara's head and smiled. "Land, please." She turned to Inuyasha and Shippou. "Since Inuyasha's nose is injured, Shippou, you'll have to lead. Inuyasha can help you if you need it. Is that okay, Inuyasha?"

Of course Inuyasha didn't hear her. He was looking at the ground and fighting not to cry.

_Inuyasha's DAYDREAM:_

_He was running towards Kagome, who was getting further and further away. "Kagome! Kagome! Where are you going? KAGOME!"_

_Kikyo appeared in front of him, bleeding from the wound Naraku gave to her that killed her fifty years earlier. "Does that girl mean more to you than I do?"_

"_Ki-Kikyo. I-um-I don't have time for this! I have to rescue Kagome!" He growled to her._

"_Inuyasha, you traitor!" She fell and died._

"_Kagome!" He called. _

_When he finally caught up with her, she was dead. "KAGOME! NO! KAGOME!" _

_END DAYDREAM._

"Inuyasha!" Sango called.

**WHAP!**

"What?" Inuyasha yelled, rubbing his head. Sango's hit brought him out of his nightmare. "Gods, you hit hard."

"You and Shippou are going to check the ground for any sign of Ashinito or Kagome. Okay?" Sango said.

"Yeah, yeah. I get it." He answered.

"You're fortunate that she can't do 'Sit.' Aren't you?" Shippou asked.

"Whatever. Let's go, Fur Ball." Inuyasha said, sadly. He even missed her saying 'Sit' whenever she got mad at him, even though it hurt, getting his face smashed into the ground. His heart longed to see her, to hear her. He would do anything to make sure that Ashinito didn't do anything to Kagome. He would have given her the Slivers if it meant that Kagome would be fine. All he knew, Kagome could be anywhere, but one place stood out in his mind. It was a good one-day walk from where they were. He remembered the way there easily. "Follow me, Shippou."

"Inuyasha, where are you taking me?" Shippou said.

"One place that I know Ashi would bring Kagome."

"Where's that?"

"Her old house. It's just on the other side of this forest." Inuyasha finished. "Go tell the others. I'll be fine on my own."

"But Inuyasha-."

"Don't worry about me. Just get going before I get irritated." He watched Shippou transform and float towards the others. He waited until Shippou was out of sight before he broke down. "Damnitall! Why am I crying again?" He asked himself. He kept on moving, but it seemed like his legs led and the rest of him just went along for the ride.

"Are you the hanyou called Inuyasha? I am Tsui, and I am a neko youkai. I have come to slay you." The neko youkai girl said, though Inuyasha didn't see her.

"What do you want? I don't have time for a catfight." Inuyasha growled.

She jumped out from the top of a tree. She had what Kagome called a "bathing suit." It was black. Tsui had short black hair, neko ears, whiskers, claws, and a long, slender tail. She had black eyes and pale skin. Cats appeared from nowhere. "These are my minions. Try not to tear the doggy to bits."

"Like I said. I don't have time for you. TETSUSAIGA!" He yelled pulling out his katana and watched it transform. _When the flow of dark energy collides with the wind it creates The Wind Scar. If I can thrust Tetsusaiga into it, I can slaughter one hundred youkai with one stroke. _He remembered. He saw it. The fissure was right in front of him. He thrust his katana into it and released its full power.

"What are you doing? No!" Tsui and her minions caught Tetsusaiga's full fury and were destroyed.

"Like I said, I don't have time for this!" He finished.

The sun had completely set, so it was dark.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome called.

"Kagome!" He heard it. He had to find her. "Kagome! Kagome! Where are you!"

"Right here." She said.

Smiling, he ran to her. Only to see that it was Shippou posing as Kagome. "You're dead you little fraud! Iron Reaver-."

"I was only trying to help." The little kitsune answered. "Besides, Sango and Miroku want to set up camp. Come on! I'll led you."

Inuyasha followed right behind him, though he couldn't possibly sleep. His fears were getting closer every minute. Every minute, Kagome was closer to death. Every single second, the poison circulated in her blood. She was dying, and there wasn't anything he could do about it. It was Kikyo all over again. She died, and there wasn't a damn thing he could have done to stop it. But why? What was the point of him running headlong into danger just to save Kagome? It was love. He didn't want to admit it, but he loved her.

Shippou led him to a small clearing where Sango and Miroku were waiting. "I despise seeping outside, and the closest village won't let us near it because they heard that a hanyou destroyed another village. They know we're traveling with Inuyasha and don't want anything to do with us." Miroku said.

"Well, get use to it." Inuyasha said. He jumped into a tree and climbed to the top. "I'll stay up here and keep watch."

"Go to sleep Inuyasha!" Miroku yelled as he fell asleep. Sango followed, Shippou was next, Myouga followed him, and even Inuyasha fell asleep.

_INUYASHA'S DREAM_

_He, as a child, was playing with his ball in the village, with Ashinito. He passed her the ball, but she missed it. It bounced and hit a nearby village girl. "Who's the girl, Inuyasha? Your girlfriend?" She asked. "Hey girls! Let's tie him up, again!" _

"_Yes!" Other shout. _

"_Leave Inuyasha alone!" Ashinito said. _

"_Are you a hanyou too?" They asked._

"_Yes, I am, so you better leave Inuyasha alone, or you'll have to deal with me!" Ashinito growled to her._

"_What can you do? You're just a little girl." The first girl said._

"_This." Ashi said as she held out a clawed hand and held it open to the girls. "Puppy, come here and stand behind me." Inuyasha did just that. He cowered behind her and watched. "Poison Claws." The green light came from her claws. After all the girls fell, Ashi closed her hand, turned to Inuyasha, and smiled. "They won't tie you up again, Puppy." _

"_What did you do Ashi?" He asked._

"_Poison Claws. It's my youkai attack."_

"_Inuyasha! Ashinito!" A woman called probably Inuyasha's mother. "Dinner time! Come home now!" _

"_Come on, Puppy." Ashinito said as she led the way through the village._

"_I'm coming, Ashi!" Inuyasha said as he followed close behind. _

_END DREAM._


	4. True Love’s Kiss

Chapter 4:

True Love's Kiss

"Inuyasha! Wake up! It's morning! Let's go!" Miroku yelled, waking Inuyasha from his dream.

He looked down at Miroku with a growl. He jumped down and looked at the whole group. Sango had switched into her slayer outfit, Shippou was sleeping next to Kirara, and Myouga was nowhere to be found. Miroku was dressed, but had a red hand print across his face. "Trying to get a hit early in the morning, eh, Miroku?" Inuyasha joked.

Miroku didn't say anything, just glared at Inuyasha. "Do you know what tonight is?"

"What?" He said.

"The new moon."

"Damnit!" Inuyasha growled. No powers tonight. Damnit all! Inuyasha couldn't fight Ashinito tonight. He'd get killed. _Wait a minute!_ He thought. _Isn't her time of the month tonight, too? I wonder what she looks like as a mostly human. _

"Shippou told us that you know where Ashinito is holding Kagome. Where, then?" Sango asked, her eyes staring at Inuyasha.

"The house that Ashi lived in with her parents." Inuyasha said. "It's on the other side of the forest. You'll miss it if you fly, so we all need to take to the ground." He paused, took a deep breath, and continued. "It's probably worse now than it was when I last saw it." He stopped.

He walked ahead of Shippou and led the group. His ears twitched around him, trying to pick up any sound other than theirs. He heard a branch bend in the treetops and he stopped dead. "Don't move! Something's in the treetops. Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!" He yelled as he slashed at the tree. Something black flew off the tree and landed in Inuyasha's path. "What the hell are you?"

"I am a bear youkai. My name is Yoki." The high pitched voice squealed with delight. "I guess you are on your way to see the village that Ashinito destroyed." She smiled.

"How would you know and why'd you care?" Inuyasha growled.

"She doesn't want any visitors. She never does." She snickered. "To get to her, you have to go through me, and I'm immortal!" She said.

"I'll fight you later. My girlfriend is dying, and I have to get to her! I don't have time for this or you, so get out of my way!" Inuyasha barked.

"G-g-girl-f-f-friend? You have a girlfriend? What is she? A human? Come now, Inuyasha." She mocked.

"Shut UP!" He barked back. "You talk too much! Iron Reaver Soul Stealer!"

"A pitiful attack." She said as she jumped out of his way. "Let me show you the better option. Mega Slash!" She said as she slashed at him, cutting his armor and shirt before it reached skin, causing a major cut.

"Damn you!" Inuyasha said. "I don't have time for you! TETSUSAIGA!"

"Ooooooh! A big katana! I'm so scared." She squeaked.

"You should be!" He said as he swung at her. _Hit, damn it! _He thought. _I don't want to tap into its full power if I don't have to. _

"Missed me!" She said with a smile and a smirk. "If you are going to use a katana, use one like this. Angel of Darkness, send me your energy katana!" She said as she held out her hands. The katana was like a regular katana, but it had a dark glow around it. "Full power!" It changed shape, similar to the Tetsusaiga's shape.

Inuyasha looked at the katana that she held and compared it to his own. It was the same size, shape and made of metal, but it looked like her's did fire tricks. "Whatever."

"Use the full power, Inuyasha." Miroku whispered.

Sango, instead, used her hiraikotsu and sliced Yoki in half. Green blood sprayed around them and doused Inuyasha.

"UGH! You cut me in half." She said. "My blood, however, is also an acid!"

Thankfully, Inuyasha's kimono is made from fire rat fur. It protected him from all of the acid.

He looked at her and could see her flow of dark energy. It collided with the wind and created the Wind Scar. He thrust Tetsusaiga into it and released it full power.

"No! What are you doing? NOOO!" She evaporated into nothingness.

"That was fast." Sango said.

"It's not over with, yet." Shippou said.

"Are you saying that she survived the Tetsusaiga?" Miroku said.

"Inuyasha-sama, go ahead and find Kagome. Time is short. I'll come with you." Myouga said. "The rest of you should stay back and fight the bear should it return."

"Okay." Sango said. "I'll fight her off."

"Good luck, Inuyasha!" Shippou yelled.

With that, Inuyasha and Myouga took off, deeper into the woods. The only sound Inuyasha heard was the sound of his feet hitting the ground.

"My lord? I didn't know that you had black hairstreaks in your hair."

"I don't. Tonight's the new moon. It's getting darker, so I must be transforming. Hopefully we'll make it in time." Inside, Inuyasha was doubtful. He hadn't made it very far, and he still had a long way to go. By the time he could get there, it would already be moonrise.

Meanwhile, back at Ashinito's house, Ashinito was beginning to feel the transformation from hanyou to mostly human. Her golden hair had huge chunks of black in it. Her fangs became human teeth, and her claws became human fingernails. Her keen wolf ears were shrinking and forming human ears. _Curse it all! _She thought. _Why'd my time of the month have to be at the new moon? I can't fight Inuyasha like this. I'll get slaughtered. _

She smiled. "He's near! What fun!" Her happiness was quickly doused. "Mother left some kimonos here, I think I'll borrow some so he won't notice me." She laughed. Just then, the last of her golden hair turned black, her wolf ears disappeared, and was replaced by human ears. Human teeth replaced her fangs, her claws were replaced with human nails, and she was now wearing a green and red kimono that was made of silk.

She laughed again. "I should prepare her body for the erasing." She held out her hand over Kagome's body and watched it glow a bluish color then fade out. "With true love's kiss, the poison will erase. With my help, of course. Inuyasha'll owe me one."

Inuyasha, now almost completely transformed, and Myouga arrived at the front curtain of the shabby hut. "Welcome to Ashi's hut." Inuyasha said as he entered the curtain.

Furniture was melted, ripped, and destroyed. Claw marks scratched up the walls, the floor had deep, dried bloodstains on it, and the walls had spatter stains. "It would seem that the bear was right. Ashinito doesn't like visitors." Myouga said as he hopped off Inuyasha's shoulder.

"She destroyed most of this hut after her mother left with that other man." Of everything he was expecting to see, this wasn't it at all. The foul scents of varies youkai told him that she was very defensive.

Roaches saw Inuyasha coming and scattered to corners and walls to avoid being squished. Skeletons lined the walls and bones, some partly melted, scattered across the floor like she carelessly placed them there.

Ashinito watched them from another room and smiled. "They've come." She whispered.

"Ashi! Where's Kagome?" Inuyasha yelled.

A woman, with a light peach face, green eyes, black hair and wearing a green and red kimono entered the room. "Through that curtain." She pointed to the curtain that led to the sleep quarters.

Inuyasha rushed into the room and saw the place were Kagome was laying. He knelt down and looked at Kagome's face. Brushing some hair out of her face, he saw her whole beautiful face. She looked like she was just sleeping. He brought his lips close to her's and closed his eyes. He felt his lips touch her's and felt a little shock.


	5. The Truth about Ashi

Chapter 5:

The Truth about Ashi

After a few moments, he pulled back and looked at her. Her eyes were still shut tightly. "Kagome?" He asked as he touched her cheek. It was ice cold. He was too late; she was gone. She was dead. He could hear Kaede's lecture in his head. _"Ye were too late, Inuyasha. Another woman lost at ye hand. How will ye explain it to Kagome's family?" _He could no longer hold in the tears. He felt them rush down his face. "No, Kagome!" He closed his eyes tightly because he couldn't look at Kagome anymore.

From over his shoulder her heard a sweet voice. "Try again, Cousin." She said. He spun around and saw the girl in the green and red kimono.

"Ashi?" He asked. "Is tonight your time of the month, too?"

"Yes, Puppy. We were born to the same cursed night." She said.

"What do you mean, 'try again?'" He said.

"Well, Puppy, you felt the shock, didn't you? That was the life energy. If you kiss her again, the poison will be destroyed. Try again, trust me."

"Why should I trust you? You've lied to me too many times in my life."

"Have you got a choice? If you don't comply, she'll die, and I'll feel so bad." She smiled.

"Whatever."

Ashinito and Inuyasha both heard more footsteps. "Miroku, Sango, and Shippou are here." He said. Then he muttered under his breath, "Finally."

"I'll go greet them." She said. "I'll leave you two alone." With that said, Ashinito exited the room and approached the group that entered the room. "Welcome to my home."

"What a beauty!" Miroku said, excitedly. He approached the strange girl and held her hands. "Will you bear me a child?"

"And you are?" Ashinito said. _Obviously he doesn't recognize me as the half-breed Ashinito. _She thought.

"I am Miroku. I am a simple Buddhist monk who is looking for true love." He said, looking lovingly at Ashinito.

"And you see true love in me?"

"I can see lots of things in you."

"..." She was speechless. "Um, you don't even know me. How can you love me? In fact," she pulled one of her hands out of Miroku's grip and touched his ponytail. "You've seen me before." She pulled her other hand out of his grip and stopped touching his hair. She, then, stepped away from him and scanned the group. Smiling, she continued. "Yes. I met you about a day ago. I'm Ashinito, Inuyasha's cousin."

"You are not!" Sango said. "Ashinito has golden hair, claws, and fangs. She's a youkai."

"Hanyou. Tonight also is my time of the month." She said.

"I knew you smelled familiar." Shippou said.

Myouga hopped to Kirara and jumped into her fur. "All hanyou have a time of the month. Some are moonrises, sunrises, or odd nights or days. The new moon triggers Inuyasha-sama's transformation and it seems Ashinito's as well."

"Inuyasha and the girl he called Kagome are through this curtain." She said as she led the group.

They walked in as Inuyasha was kissing Kagome for the second time and all struggled to either stop looking or laughing. Inuyasha pulled away and glared at the group. "Get the hell out of here!" He snarled.

"Inuyasha and Kagome sitting in a tree. K-I-S-S-I-N-G! First comes love, then comes marriage, and then comes the baby in the baby carriage." Shippou sang.

"IT DIDN'T WORK, ASHI! YOU'RE DEAD!" Inuyasha snarled.

As he started to get up, Kagome eyes fluttered open and she smiled at Inuyasha. "Inuyasha?" She asked. Scanning the room, she called out the names of all her feudal friends. "Shippou. Sango. Miroku. Kirara. Myouga. You're all here."

"KAGOME!" Shippou cried as the little kitsune bounced to her. "You're okay!"

"Oh, Shippou!" Kagome said as she hugged him.

"Kagome." Inuyasha said. He knelt down beside Kagome. "We have to talk." Looking over his shoulder, he growled. "The rest of you can get the hell out of here!"

Miroku, Sango, Shippou, Kirara, Myouga, and Ashinito left the room with giggles coming out of their mouth.

"What do you want to talk about?" Kagome asked.

"Kagome...I, uh, was..." He stammered. He wanted to say it, but he couldn't. "Scared."

"What?"

"I thought you were gonna die. I was so scared." He said.

"You were scared for me?"

"I thought I was going to lose you. I hated the thought of it. Ashi stole your Slivers and almost killed you. Now that she knows my feelings for you, she'll keep attacking you."

"You're feelings? Inuyasha, are you saying that you _love_ me?"

"Um, I, uh..." He was stammering again. "I mean, yes. Kagome, I do."

"I love you, too, Inuyasha."

"Aw! I knew my trap would get him to tell." Ashinito said, excitedly. She held the curtain open and watched. "I knew that if I told you, true love's kiss would erase the poisons, you'd believe me."

"WHAT?" Inuyasha said, anger rose in his voice. "YOU LIED TO ME AGAIN!"

"Actually, Puppy, the only cure for my poisons is my demonic powers. I used the last of them to cure her, and told you that love's true kiss would heal her." She paused. "I noticed how you were so willing to protect her, and I have no will to kill her, so I cured her and you can just owe me one." Ashinito explained.

"She called you Puppy. Aren't you gonna fight her?" Kagome asked.

"No." Inuyasha said.

"Why do you call him Puppy?" Kagome asked Ashinito. She started to sit up.

"Puppy was the nickname I gave him when we were younger. He called my Ashi, so I called him Puppy because he looked like one to me." Ashinito said as she smiled. Her smile didn't looked forced or even ugly; it was true; it was a truly happy, nice smile.

"Ashi, but why did you poison Kagome?" Inuyasha asked who moved to sit next to Kagome. Kagome, noticing Inuyasha looks, moved her feet and let him sit next to her on the blanket. She held his hand and scooted closer to him.

"Hold that thought." She said as she let the others in. "Come sit down. I need to explain it to all of you." She paused. "I heard about a month ago that Inuyasha was traveling with a reincarnated miko with the ability to see the jewel Slivers, a slayer, a lecher Buddhist monk, and a baby kitsune. When I heard about the reincarnated miko of Kikyo, who I knew that Inuyasha fell in love with, I knew I had to meet her and see if he had fallen in love with her.

"I collected the jewel Slivers in hope to meet up with Inuyasha and the miko. When I saw for myself how much he cared for Kagome, I knew that I could get anything I wanted. I also saw how she wanted to help Inuyasha so I knew she was the one." Ashinito finished. The whole group looked at her surprise. "I slaughtered that village in hope you'll find me. I decided to find you. All I had to do was smell for Inuyasha's scent, and I found you easily."

"That's totally barbaric!" Kagome said. "How could you slaughter something you are a part of?"

"Like Inuyasha and Myouga said, I didn't belong in any group. My own mother turned against me and left with another youkai named Mocha." She paused. "He taught me the poison tricks I know, but that was only when my mother was nearby. Other times he was horrible to me, just like all the other youkai I knew. He eventually took my mother away, and I was all alone. I hated her so I destroyed this house, slaughtered anyone who came near it. I gained a name as a human killer hanyou. " She said, as her voice filled with remorse.

Kagome looked at Inuyasha and then at Ashinito. She didn't know what to believe. Inuyasha even said she lied so many times in his life that he didn't believe her anymore.

"It's been a long night." Ashinito finally said. "I suggest that you all go to sleep and we can talk more in the morning. I'll go get more blankets and pillows." She stepped out of the room and was gone for several minutes.

No one spoke for a long time. Kagome finally broke the silence when she looked at Inuyasha. "Do you believe her, Inuyasha?"

"I don't really know what to believe anymore." He said.

Ashinito walked back in with a handful of pillows and blankets. She dropped them on the floor and smiled. "Puppy and Kagome can stay in here. The neko youkai and flea can stay in the living quarter, the slayer and monk may stay in my mother's former room, the baby kitsune can stay with the neko and flea. I'll sleep outside. Pleasant dreams." Said Ashinito as she, Miroku, Sango, Kirara, Myouga, and Shippou left Kagome and Inuyasha alone in the room.

"I'll keep watch." Inuyasha said as he got up and sat next to the door.

"Get back over here." Kagome said. "I want you to sleep right here next to me." She smiled.

"But what if-?" He started, but stopped quickly. He had a feeling that Ashinito wasn't going to attack them tonight. He walked back over to the bed and climbed under the blanket with Kagome. She fell asleep in his arms. That was the way he always wanted it.


	6. The Morning After

Chapter 6:

The Morning After

Inuyasha woke up when a ray of light from the sun hit his face. His arms were around Kagome, who was snuggled up against his body. He slowly moved his arms from around her and moved away from her. She was still asleep. He looked at his hands and saw that his claws had reformed. He crept out of the room and headed to the kitchen. He passed the sleeping Shippou, Myouga, and Kirara.

He peered into the kitchen and saw that a stew was cooked. _Breakfast. _He thought. He turned around and walked to the curtain that led to the outside world. He opened the curtain and looked out. Ashinito was gone. Her footprints led to the forest.

He followed them to the lake where he saw Ashinito looking down into the clear, blue water. She was saying something that he couldn't hear so he moved in closer, but **KABOOM**! He hit something and fell out from his cover.

"Who's there?" She asked as she stood up. She saw Inuyasha and glared at him. "What do you want, Puppy?"

"Thanks for cooking breakfast." He said.

"Yeah, whatever." She growled.

"What're you doing?"

"Nothing that you need to worry about."

"Fine then. For once, I wanted to talk to you, but if you don't want to, then whatever." He said with his usual growl.

"Inuyasha?" Kagome said as she came through the forest. "Ashinito?"

"Kagome?" Inuyasha asked. "How did you get here?"

"I followed your tracks." Kagome said. "Inuyasha, you need to talk to Ashinito. You need to fix your problems with her. You were childhood friends. Can't you go back to that?"

"I don't want to." Ashinito said.

"I know you may hate Inuyasha because he's a hanyou, but he wants to talk to you. Just hear him out." Kagome said. "I'm sorry that you were treated so badly by everyone, but that's in the past. Can't you get over that?"

"Do you know what it feels like to have your own mother dump you for a man? Do you know what it feels like to have your father run away from you because you were different? Do you have any concept about what it fells like to have no one who care about you? To have youkai call you weak? To have humans call you youkai? To have hanyou call you a menace?" Ashinito replied as she started to get angry.

"No, I don't." Kagome said. "But you're not the only one to feel alone. I do all the time, but I'm not alone. I have Inuyasha with me."

Inuyasha blushed. Kagome was making him sound sweet. He used to fell alone just like Ashinito, like no one cared, but then he met Kikyo. She made him fell loved and he decided not to become a full fledge youkai. He wanted to be human just to be with Kikyo, but then Naraku showed up and turned them against each other. Kikyo died after she shot him with the enchanted arrow that held him for fifty years. Then, he woke up when Kagome showed up and was chased by Mistress Centipede. She released him from the spell. He felt alone, then, but he had Kagome with him. He knew exactly what Kagome was talking about.

"I still have no one." Ashinito said.

"I'll be your friend." Kagome said, smiling.

"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY KAGOME? ARE YOU NUTS? SHE'S A MURDERER! WHAT'RE YOU-!" Inuyasha screamed.

"SIT!" Kagome yelled.

**SPLAT!**

Inuyasha's face squished into the ground with a loud splat and dust rose up from where he landed.

"What did you do?" Ashinito asked.

"Every time I say 'sit,' that's what happens." Kagome said. "Like I was saying, I'll be your friend if you promise to stop killing humans."

"Alright. You've got a deal, Kagome." Ashinito said with another true, sweet, loveable smile. "You and Puppy can go back to the house and eat the stew. I'll be there in a little bit."

"Okay." Kagome said as she helped Inuyasha up and they walked back to the hut, but stopped to listen to Ashinito.

She bent back down to the lake and looked into the water. "Is Kagome correct? Am I not really alone?"

Another human walked to the out of the forest and approached the water. He was a strapping young man, who approached Ashinito without any weapons. Obviously, he wasn't planning to attack Ashinito. In fact, he knelt down next to her. "You're Ashinito, aren't you?" He asked with curiosity in his voice.

"Yes, I am." She answered. "I'm a monstrous half-breed that no one loves."

"I've noticed you in the forest. You're very beautiful and strong. I was afraid to approach you because I, well, heard the rumors. I hoped that you wouldn't hurt me when I came over to talk to you. I saw that you were talking with that human girl, so I hoped you had changed." He said with a smile.

"Yeah, I have changed." Ashinito said. "And you can call me Ashi."

"Come with me, Ashi. My father and mother will want to meet you. I'm sure that they will love you."

"I hope so, too. I didn't catch your name."

"Oh, I'm Nanomaru. I live in the nearby village." He said as he helped her up and led her away.

"So she did find true love." Inuyasha said.

"Yeah, she did." Kagome said. "So did I." Kagome said as she hugged Inuyasha.

"Yeah," Inuyasha said as he held Kagome, "so did I." They walked back to Ashinito's house, hand-in-hand.

Meanwhile, Sango, Shippou, and Miroku were eating the stew that Ashinito made and were quite enjoying it.

"This is pretty good stew. Who made it? Kagome?" Shippou asked.

"If Ashinito made it, wouldn't it be poisonous?" Miroku said.

"Is this a peace offering?" Sango asked.

"Nope," Kagome said as she entered the room, "just breakfast. Made by Ashi."

"Really? Wow!" Shippou said, excitedly.

The group ate and got up. "Where is Ashinito?" Miroku said. "Is she not hungry?"

"No." Inuyasha said.

"She's having breakfast with a cute human boy and his family." Said Kagome.

"A human boy? Strange." Sango said.

"Maybe..." Kagome said. The group left the house and started towards the next village.


	7. The Final Battle

Chapter 7:

The Final Battle _(The ending)_

"I'm smelling blood." Inuyasha said.

"Human blood or demonic blood?" Kagome said. "I sense Slivers. It's coming from the village."

"Ashi! She broke her promise!" Miroku said.

"It's demonic blood." Inuyasha said. "Climb on, Kagome. I'm running!"

"I'm running, too. Climb on, Sango." Said Miroku.

"No thanks. I'm riding. Come on, Shippou." Sango said as she hopped onto Kirara's back. Shippou and Miroku climb on, too.

Inuyasha ran towards the strong stench of demonic blood. Hoping that Ashi's fighting the youkai instead of getting killed by them, or even the villagers. Ashinito may be tough, but she won't stand a chance if attacked by multiple youkai. Then, she would need the Tetsusaiga and Inuyasha.

Inuyasha and Kagome arrive at the village, and they were shocked at what they saw. Youkai body parts scattered the ground, blood covered huts, and guts splashed the sides of them. Kagome got off Inuyasha's back and looked around. She saw the boy named Nanomaru and ran to join him.

"Nanomaru! Where's Ashi?" She asked.

"I don't know." He said. "I can't believe that she fought off all these youkai on her own. Last I saw, she was stabbed by a giant mantis youkai."

"ASHI'S BEEN WHAT?" Miroku shouted.

"Can you pick up the scent of Ashinito's blood, Inuyasha?" Kagome asked. "We need to help her."

"Come on, Kagome. If you can sense her Slivers, I'll fight to get you to it." Inuyasha said.

"Sango, Shippou, and I will stay here and fight off the youkai from the village." Miroku said.

"DON'T YOU DARE USE THAT AIR RIP!" Inuyasha growled. "Your life is short enough." He then turned to Kagome. "C'mon. Let's go find Ashi."

"I'm coming, too." Nanomaru said as he grabbed a bow and some arrows. "These youkai have hurt the one I love."

"Let's go. We've gotta get moving if we want to help." Kagome said and she ran towards the Slivers of the Shikon no Tama that she sensed.

Inuyasha and Nanomaru ran after Kagome and ended up just shy of the forest where Kagome stopped and saw the giant mantis that had blood dripping from one of its claws. A girl, Ashinito, was holding one claw with both her hands. She was cut clean down the middle of her face and bleeding from it, but she continued to fight it off, believing that she was doing a good thing and repenting for killing all the human she had in her life. "Nanomaru." She mumbled. "I'm protecting you."

"Ashi! There's no need to! Don't risk your life for me!" Nanomaru cried. He placed an arrow in his bow and shot the mantis, hitting it in the eye.

"Human fool!" The youkai hissed as it took it's free claw and tried to stab Nanomaru.

"Stay focused on me!" Ashinito growled. Digging her claws into the mantis's flesh, Ashinito closed her eyes and whispered, "Poison claws."

The mantis pulled its burning claw away from Ashinito's green glowing hands. "Worthless half-breed!" The mantis hissed. It moved its free claw away form Nanomaru and tried to stab Ashinito again.

"Help her, Inuyasha!" Kagome cried. "She doesn't stand a chance against the mantis!"

"Yes, she does. I've seen her slaughter hundreds of humans as a child. She can handle one mantis." He turned to Ashinito and cheered her on. "Come on, Ashi! You can do it! Slaughter the mantis!"

The mantis noticed how eager Ashinito was to protect the human man with the arrows, so it left Ashinito and started to attack Nanomaru.

"No! Nanomaru!" She screamed and ran to the mantis, but its large claw struck the ground exactly where Nanomaru was standing. "Nanomaru! Nanomaru!" She screamed a blood-curling scream. Her hair turned to a brighter golden color, her eyes turned to a darker green, her claws glowed green, and her fangs extended. She looked like a full flesh youkai. "Humans get down!" She screamed as she grabbed the claw that was on top of Nanomaru. "Poison Gas!" She cried as the dark green fog appeared from her hands. It surrounded the claw and burned it to the bone. "Poison Claws!" She watched as the rest of the mantis burned to a crisp and left only a pile of bones. "Nanomaru." Ashinito cried as she ran to the spot where he laid.

Nanomaru was dead. The mantis claw had destroyed his fragile human body. All that remained was a deep crater where the claw hit the spot and killed Nanomaru. "The only human that treated me like a human, not hanyou or youkai is dead." Ashinito said. "I'm back to being alone. My life is pointless. Why should I live on when the one I love died?" She knelt down next to crater and took a deep breath. "If I can channel my healing correctly, I may be able to save him."

"Ashi, no!" Miroku cried as he ran to the group. "Don't risk you life for him!"

"Why? Do you want me, monk?" Ashinito asked. "I've killed hundreds of humans in my life, it's time I gave one it's life and repay all of the people I've killed." Her hands glowed purple, and she moved them around his body. Blood spilled through her skin in varying spots. "My sacrifice will save this human's life."

Kagome walked over to Ashinito and placed a hand on her shoulder. "He's gone, Ashi. There's nothing you can do." Kagome said.

"He was so innocent. He would fight off the villagers when they would tease and threaten me when I was little. If only he had stayed away when I told him to, he'd still be here." Ashinito cried. She turned to Kagome and cried in her lap.

"It's okay." Kagome said as she patted her back.

Just then, the village men, carrying weapons of war, walked up behind Inuyasha, Miroku, Sango, Shippou and Kirara. They point at Ashinito and mutter among themselves. "Ashinito! You killed the headman's eldest son!" One man said who had a spear in his hand.

Ashinito got up from Kagome's lap, turned her back to the villagers, and headed to the forest. Without a word, she left the group and marched deeper into the woods.

"Did Ashi just walk away from a fight?" Inuyasha said.

"Did my eyes deceive me?" The villager said.

"She's not a monster anymore." Kagome said. "I think she's changed now. We'll see her again. I just know it."

The village men turned around and headed back to the village. Miroku, Sango, Kirara, and Shippou walked back too. Inuyasha and Kagome stayed in the same place and watched Ashinito disappear into fading sunlight.

"You sure we're gonna see her again?" Inuyasha said, as he placed an arm around Kagome's shoulders and pulled her into a side hug.

"I just have the feeling." Kagome said as she snuggled into Inuyasha's side.

"Kagome!" A voice called from the forest. Ashinito reappeared with nine Slivers in her hand. "Here are nine Slivers of the Sacred Shikon no Tama. Three of them I stole from you, and the other six I received fighting off youkai that entered my house. You can use them better than I can." Dropping the Slivers in Kagome's hand, Ashinito turned and walked to the sunset.

"Sunsets are so beautiful." Kagome said as she hugged Inuyasha.

With a smile on his face, Inuyasha looked at the sunset and said. "Yeah, Kagome. They really are."

THE END


End file.
